Hidden Villages

I: Sanin Sensei

The hot sun beating down upon their heads didn't phase the two travelers as they approached the entrance leading into Sunagakure. Neither were phased when the guards at the entrance approached them asking for identification. A pale hand held out the necessary documents and the guards allowed the two past, but one waved one of the guards further up over.

"You'll escort our honored guests to the Kazekage's residence."

The Suna shinobi glanced at the two women and frowned. Their mouth opened in protest, but the other guard quickly silenced them. "You must be new if you don't know they're both welcome in Suna."

The young shinobi nodded their head before leading the two women through the streets of Suna. The people looked at the two women warily when they saw, but otherwise focused on gossiping among themselves. "When is the Kazekage going to take care of that monster?"

"I don't know, but we should be glad he didn't let that monster attend the academy. I wouldn't have let my youngest attend, but would have pulled my other children. I can't risk that monster doing what its done to some of the villagers."

"Yes, but that monster is the Kazekage's child, so talking like this is treasonous."

The woman with the lighter coloring stopped short as her bright brown eyes watched the gossiping villagers. One of the women from the group of villagers looked up and winced before nudging their companions so they might move elsewhere.

The woman who followed behind the woman with the lighter coloring frowned at the villagers. "Lady Tsunade..."

"Don't worry about that. That kind of talk is normal as of late."

"Normal?" Tsunade turned her head towards the person guiding her to the Kazekage's residence. "How is that kind of talk ever normal?"

"It's also not the business of outsiders."

"Not..." Shizune sucked in her breath as her ire threatened to boil over.

Tsunade turned towards her assistant and shook her head. "Shizune, no. While we are welcome here as friends of Suna I don't want to give Lady Chiyo any reason to come out of retirement."

The dark haired female looked away as her mouth twisted into a frown. Shizune muttered under her breath in frustration. "But they're Karura's children."

"I know." Tsunade took a deep breath.

"That child is the reason Lady Karura's dead."

Tsunade turned her head towards the shinobi. Her brown eyes took on a stern look making quite clear she wanted no more discussion of the matter. They continued on their way until they came to the Kazekage household. The man led her into the courtyard where she saw a small child playing in the sand.

"I'll let the Kazekage know you're here Lady Tsunade."

The two woman watched the auburn-haired child play in the sand not noticing anything else around him. He seemed unsupervised, but a familiar voice soon indicated otherwise.

"Sensei?"

The sullen look on Tsunade's face disappeared as she looked upon the young man approaching her. She opened her arms wide to greet the man who approached her. "Yashamaru!"

Tsunade noticed the auburn-haired child pause and then look up while she gave Yashamaru a hug. The sandy-haired young man pulled away. "What brings you here sensei?"

"I can visit one of my favorite students? Or the children of one of my other favorites?"

Yashamaru let out a laugh. Something made him pause and look to the side first before looking down. "Hello Lord Gaara."